Trees and hedgerows

Some trees and hedgerows are protected. You need our permission before you do any work on them

Trees can make a significant contribution to the quality of a conservation area.

For those not covered by a separate Tree Preservation Order (TPO), you must give us six weeks' notice of the intention to do any works (including topping, lopping, felling or up rooting) to them.

Protected trees

Trees can be protected in three ways:

1. Protection by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO)
2. Protection by virtue of being located within a Conservation Area
3. Protection by virtue of a condition(s) being attached to an earlier planning permission relating to the site.

So before doing any work, you should contact our Development Control team to clarify whether the tree(s) are affected in one or more of these ways.

High hedges

Some high evergreen hedges can cause problems to neighbouring properties by way of overshadowing etc. Legislation to deal with this issue came into force in 2005. Details can be viewed on the DCLG website.